The Washington critic., 1887-09-21
LOST LETTERS.


Her daughter Mary was assisting her
and pausing every now and then to ox.
anime peculiar handwriting or post.
mark.
Il declare" said Mrs. DAILY, sud
denly, in the midst of her work, "if
here Isn't another one of those love
letters for Philip Granger that have
been coming for the last six mon,hs.
There's no such person in town.
know that-but it's pity such nice
letters should go to the dead letter
office"
"But how do you know they IL
love letteis?" asked Mary.
"They must be, because the poor
woman keeps on writing though she
never gets an answer. They come
from different towns every time, as If
the writer was moving about from
place to place. The seal is always an
ii in soft wax"
Mary was Interested, yet she said no
more for the time being,
But the subject was not forgotten by
her or her mother, and often, US week
dainty missives continued to arrive, the
two women would lay them sadly
away until the appointed time came to
forward them to the Dead Letter Office.
Even when Mary that autumn &C.
cepted the invitation of a former school
friend to make her long visit the let.
tiers were not forgotten, one of her
parting injunctions to her mother be.
tn, t,,h la, nd ri IN tNh har yh moi hDr
they were called for.
Mary's journey was long and
tedious one, so that she was very tired
before It was half over. She almost
dozed off over her book, when she was
startled TO hear man in the next seat
say to his wife:
''Was gone very long? l met my
old friend, Philip Granger, In the
smoking car and brought him In to
make your acquaintance.
Mary was very wide awake now and
on the alert. She looked up to see one
of the handsomest men 1t had ever
been her lot to meet, bowling as she
was introduced.
II am very happy to meet you," was
the lady's remark. "Where have you
been residingly lately, Mr.. Granger ?"
Mary listened attenlively for the an.
swer.
II have been spending the last few
months In Camden, N. j." was the
distinct reply.
Without stopping moment to con-
slider how strange her conduct would
appear. Mary sprung from her seat
and. crossing the aisle of the car, ad.
dressed the gentleman.
t.Exnusn mn hut la NOT pnur =, ~, m
Philip Granger ?" she said, eagerly.
The stranger rose and answered DO
litely, though evidently surprised:
eyes, that is my name. Pardon me
that do not recollect yours"
"Oh you never knew It," Mary re-
piled simply. II am the daughter Of
ihe postmistress in Camden, N. Y,
and letters have come there for sew.
eral months addressed to Philip
Granger, and we never could find him.
l overheard your name and your re.
mark that you lived in Camden. N. j.. ,
and thought l ought to tell you about
the letters, for perhaps, they might be
for you"
Indeed, am exceedingly obliged to
you" answered the young man, earn.
estly and with an admiring glance u,
IL
letters are doubtless from my sister,
is travelling with her husband
through the Southern States. / imag.
ined that she never received my letters
as she and her husband do not remain
long in one place. but never thought
of the possibility of hers being misdi.
rected."
Mary was conscious of feeling OF
eattsfaptinn on hao rinor thnt tha
were only from sister. Yet wha
difference could 1t make to herr BuI
Mr. Granger was again speaking.
"If you would kindly favor me will
your name," he said, land allow me tc
Introduce my friend ana his wife, per
haps your journey would be less tedi
Gus and lonely"
Mary gave her name with some con
fusion. for she now, for the first, no
ticed the inquiring glances of Mr.. ant
Mrs. Layton. But Mr.. Grangers In
PRODUCTION and explanation met with ,
most cordial response, and Mary soor
found that they were acquainted will
the very people she was going to visit
The next night after her arrival II
town Mary received a call from Mr.
Granger, and enjoyed very pleasan
evening.
1t would be useless to try to chron
icle the days and evenings that sue
ceeded. There were visits to places o
interest, excursions to the neighborinl
metropolis, dinners at the Greys o
Lay ytOns, concerts, musical parties, re
CeptiOns, balls. How swiftly the day
passed How happy these days were
Then there were walks in the country
outside of the little town, for the vlcln
ity was beautiful with varied hill anC
dale; and In these walks. somehow
Bessie and Mr.. Taylor fell behind aut
Mary and Mr.. Granger were left alon
ahead.
1t was In one of these excursions
when the other pair were almost out o
sight SO far had they fingered In tn
rear that the words were spoken tha
bound Mary to become her compan
ions wife before the year was out
Never, Mary thought, had any love
ever spoken so eloquently; never cOnlt
lover, she still believes, speak as elo
quently.
When Mary returned home, the day
after, she was escorted by Mr., Granger
who went, as he assured the delighted
Mrs. DAILY, not only to claim such o
the letters as had not been sent to tn
Dead Letter Office. but to ask for fa
greater treasure, her daughters hand
"Her heart, hope" he said, 81 hav
already"
"Wen, we'll" said Mrs. DAILY ortel
afterward, II always knew there wa
come reason why took such an I'M
common interest In those letters.
used to think them love letters. An,
y so, perhaps In one sense, they were,
she would add, with smile of triumph
"since they led to Mary's marriag
1Niih DLllin Ihn lnnninSt IhnI Nun